Early this morning, Frank M. Pasquerella, known affectionately as Mr. P, died peacefully in his home. He had an indelible impact on the students he taught, and on the Eastview High School band program. He had an incredible knowledge of a great many topics not limited to music. Mr. P was absolutely one of a kind, absolutely hilarious, and absolutely a friend until the end. Please keep Maria, Gabby, Carmen in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate uncharted waters.
What do we do now? It's hard for me to imagine this year without Mr. P. There are a million things that will be different without him. I will never look at a medical form the same way again. He had a knack for taking the ordinary and somehow making it extraordinary.
So how do we honor the man who was always there, who had endless grit, and who had great gratitude for the job he was able to do? We offer those things back up as an appreciation for all that he has done.
We're going to go out there, on the "P" lot, and make music together until we can not anymore. Because at the end of the day it has always been about the chance to make music and art with friends, the chance to become a better person through the experience, and that chance is a privilege, not a right.
We are going to do it with two traits that I believe Mr. P admired most in students... GRIT and GRATITUDE.
Mr. P was tough. He expected the most out of himself and his students and he never backed down from a challenge. You don't become Mr. P tough by backing away when life hands you lemons. Let's be Mr. P tough.
Mr. P was grateful. Grateful to be able to teach such wonderful students. He loved to see struggling students finally get that lightbulb moment. He loved the transformation of a student, and of a season, and of a life changed by music. Let's be grateful for what we DO have.
What do we have? A chance to come together and honor the man who started our program with our gifts, with our grit, with our gratitude. A chance to get together and make music and art with friends.
Humbly,
Mr. Gullickson
